A paper written by Peltzer et al. and published by the CSIRO (2009) in Crop and Pasture Science (Vol. 60) , titled "Weed management in wide-row cropping systems: a review of current practices and risks for Australian farming systems" found that compared to traditional controlling of weeds, i.e., applying herbicides uniformly over the entire paddock, or by shielded sprayer to the inter-rows, that patch spraying technology (e.g. WeedSeeker) substantially reduced the use of herbicides and increased net returns.
The review paper also states that the use of patch spraying technology has a huge potential to minimise environmental hazards, for example, ground and surface water pollution and preventing herbicide resistance developing, by implementing efficient and effective use of herbicides under site-specific management of weeds.
Kev's Tech Tips
Routine Maintenance
Your WeedSeeker system should be regularly cleaned and maintained. Click here for routine and basic cleaning techniques for keeping your WeedSeeker in good condition.
Trimble acquires NTech Industries
Trimble announced early last month that it has acquired privately-held NTech Industries based in Ukiah, California. NTech is a leading provider of crop-sensing technology that allows farmers to reduce costs and environmental impact by controlling the application of nitrogen, herbicide and other crop inputs. The acquisition further expands Trimble's ability to offer innovative field applications for farmers.
NTech products use optical sensing and variable rate application to apply only the inputs needed to maximise crop yield. The GreenSeeker nitrogen application system determines the health of a plant in real time and delivers the optimum amount of nitrogen. The WeedSeeker automatic spot-spray system senses the presence of living plants, allowing targeted and controlled herbicide application.
The systems are typically utilised with Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions and flow and application control products, both of which are supported by Trimble's precision agricultural portfolio of products.
"Trimble's focus is to provide complete agriculture solutions -- from machine guidance and automated steering to application control. The acquisition of NTech gives Trimble customers even more ways to save on fertilizer and herbicide costs while reducing their impact on the environment," said Erik Arvesen, vice president and general manager for Trimble's Agriculture Division. "By applying the right amount of inputs for optimum plant growth, farmers can manage for maximum efficiency and avoid over-applying fertilizer or herbicide."
"GreenSeeker and WeedSeeker solutions are breakthroughs for variable rate application. Our technology offers farmers innovative solutions to help control fertilizer and crop protection products, which ultimately drive costs," said Ted Mayfield, NTech's chief operating officer. "We are excited to join Trimble and believe that our combined technologies will provide farmers with enhanced solutions to more efficiently manage control applications in the field."
Field Days
Crop Optics Australia will be at the following field days over the next few months. Please come and see us!
| 18, 19 & 20 August | AgQuip | Gunnedah, NSW |
| 10 & 11 September | 13th Symposium on Precision Agriculture in Australiasia | UNE Armidale, NSW |
| 16 September | The Weed Society of NSW Inc "New Advances in Herbicide Use" |
Narrabri Bowling Club 176 Maitland Street, Narrabri, NSW |